An expert review meeting on "Safety Assessment of the New CBTC System Project of Shanghai Metro Line 2 before Initial Operation" was held in Shanghai from December 1 to December 3. After the three-day review, the expert group unanimously determined that the new system passed all on-site testing and verification and will meet the operational needs if it is put into use. This means that the renovation of the multi-mode train control system of Shanghai Metro Line 2, led by CASCO, is nearing completion, and the countdown to the cutover and launch of the new system is about to begin.
Experts in various fields of rail transit from 10 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xi'an, and Suzhou were invited to form an expert group at this meeting. Moreover, leaders and representatives from relevant units such as Shanghai Municipal Development & Reform Commission, Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, Shanghai Transportation Trade Association, Shanghai Metro Group Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering & Rail Transit Design and Research Institute attended the meeting to witness the milestone moment since it is the world's first multi-mode train control system renovation project.
The multi-mode train control system is an innovative solution proposed by CASCO and Shanghai Metro for the upgrading and renovation of Shanghai Metro Line 2 to add a new CBTC system compatible with TBTC without affecting the operation of the original TBTC system of Line 2. Since Line 2 is the most important artery in Shanghai's metro network, with a maximum daily passenger flow of up to 2 million, this solution can effectively satisfy the multiple needs of it, such as carrying out non-disturbance renovation, shortening the project cycle, and avoiding the waste of equipment resources. The difficulty lies in breaking down the communication barrier between different systems to achieve seamless integration between two signaling systems of different eras, different formats, different manufacturers and different designs, which is equivalent to enabling each train to master two "languages".
To implement this innovative solution smoothly, CASCO spent five years on the painstaking research and finally solved the technical problem, i.e., the compatibility of the multi-mode train control system, and independently developed a CBTC system that is compatible with TBTC. In 2020, the multi-mode train control system renovation of Shanghai Metro Line 2 officially started, and the progress has been accelerated all the way since then: in 2022, the model section passed expert review, and the entire line was qualified for CBTC operation; in September 2023, it passed the third-party passenger operation safety assessment, key node acceptance and expert pre-review; and in December 2023, it passed the expert review of pre-operation safety assessment.
At this meeting, the expert group conducted a comprehensive review of the new compatible CBTC system and interface functions of related supporting disciplines through on-site testing, on-site investigation, technical exchanges, etc. The scope of assessment covered the new CBTC system on the main line, the renovated and updated interlocking systems at Longyang Road, Beizhai Road and Chuansha train bases, as well as 76 trains equipped with the new CBTC system. In the end, all the test data successfully passed the safety assessment for initial operation, indicating that the new CBTC system of Shanghai Metro Line 2 is ready for operation.
In the next stage, considering the opinions of this expert review, CASCO will continue to exert its technical strength, further improve the preparatory work for the system cutover, cooperate with Shanghai Metro to carry out a series of enhanced practical exercises to ensure the smooth commissioning of the new system, and strive to build Shanghai Metro Line 2 as another benchmark project of signaling system renovation to help realize metro renovation and upgrading and to create a safer, more efficient and comfortable travel experience for passengers.
